​Today, New York City is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with a population of around 20 million. In the year 1500, “New York City” did not exist. This fascinating visualization, created by John Burn Murdoch, shows how NYC and other largest cities around the world have grown and shrank since the year 1500 — and how Tokyo rose to #1

This is how the 10 biggest cities in the world have changed since 1500 pic.twitter.com/dOHsPw4Qqj

— How Things Work (@ThingsWork) March 19, 2019